Gallery: Yoga from the ancient to the modern

Dave Sidaway, Postmedia News07.28.2011

Ashtanga yoga:

A form of energetic yoga that combines breath with movement. It has a set sequence of poses which are held for a set period of time (five breaths). The set sequence allows practitioners to get into a meditative state and the poses build heat from within the body helping to cleanse, detoxify and strengthen the body while calming the mind.

Power and Flow yoga are derivatives of Ashtanga.

Dave Sidaway
/ Postmedia News

Hatha yoga:

Hatha yoga is the classical form of yoga postures and breathing that revitalizes the body physically and mentally. It is an uplifting practice that increases muscle tone, improves flexibility and concentration, detoxifies the vital organs and allows you to relax deeply. The postures are the same as with Ashtanga yoga, but the pace is slower allowing practitioners to work on proper alignment.

Amanda Edwards
/ Getty Images

Iyengar yoga:

Iyengar is a form of Hatha yoga that uses props such as belts, blocks and blankets to help the students perform the postures correctly without risk of injury and making it accessible to all ages. Iyengar is characterized by attention to detail and correct alignment.

Iyengar yoga also developed practices to heal various chronic diseases including backache, high blood pressure, insomnia and depression.

Handout
/ Gaiam

Kundalini yoga:

Kundalini is one of the more spiritual types of yoga. It comes from Ashtanga and goes beyond the physical performance of poses to emphasize breathing, meditation and chanting. Kundalini sequences can be physically intense. This type of yoga appeals to those interested in both mental and physical challenges. A Kundalini yoga class stimulates the nervous system, glandular system and the immune system to centre the mind and open the spirit.

Amanda Edwards
/ Getty Images

Anusara yoga:

A modern yoga form that means "flowing from grace" or "flowing from nature," it is infused with the tantric philosophy of the intrinsic goodness in all people and life forms and it simplifies alignment. Started in 1997 by John Friend, it is well respected and has grown quickly in popularity. Each class begins with an invocation of the grace-bestowing power of the universal spirit within human beings.

Amanda Edwards
/ Getty Images

Bikram's or hot yoga:

A system of yoga introduced by Bikram Choudhury that is derived from Hatha yoga. Popularized in the 1970s, Bikram’s classes run exactly 90 minutes and consist of a set series of 26 postures and two breathing exercises. Bikram Yoga is ideally practised in a room heated to 105°F (40.6°C) with a humidity of 40 per cent, and is the most popular form of hot yoga. The hot workout environment is to facilitate deeper stretching and injury prevention, while reducing stress and tension.

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